Medical Redshirts in FCS

[WrenFGun]

I've heard some discussion about them, and I was wondering if anyone could offer some sort of clarification on the amount of games a player can play in before he cannot receive a RS. Is it 30% of the games, as it is in basketball?

(For clarification purposes, I presume it is is impossible to receive a REGULAR RS once you've played a snap, yes?)

[McNeese_beat]

I've heard some discussion about them, and I was wondering if anyone could offer some sort of clarification on the amount of games a player can play in before he cannot receive a RS. Is it 30% of the games, as it is in basketball?

(For clarification purposes, I presume it is is impossible to receive a REGULAR RS once you've played a snap, yes?)

You are correct. And they must be from the first 30 percent of your schedule. McNeese lost RB Jamie Leonard in the fourth game (past 30 percent) which made it impossible for him to apply for a medical hardship (which is the technical term). On the other hand, Steven Whitehead was hurt in the second game and had never used a redshirt year, so his medical hardship case is a slam dunk.

[WrenFGun]

What if the player has already used a RS year? Does that mean they cannot receive a medical RS no matter what?

[WrenFGun]

I only ask because UNH had a couple of guys (Sean Ware, didn't play, already used a RS year, Lance Mailloux, played in two early games) and wanted to see if either would gain an extra year.

[McNeese_beat]

What if the player has already used a RS year? Does that mean they cannot receive a medical RS no matter what?

They can apply, but I think it's more difficult. I'm not 100 percent sure, but I think the litmus test is to show that an injury affected more than one season. Somebody else may have to help me on this.

McNeese once had a basketball player from Lithuania who must have played college ball for 10 years after he got a couple of knee injuries and kept getting medical hardships (I'm exaggerating, but it sure seemed like he was there forever...I think he not only got a degree, but a pension package too...).

[spdram]

I always understood the normal rule was 5 years to play 4 hence the one regular RS season; however you could apply for a medical hardship and get a 6th year. Richmond has 2 players sitting this season that have already been granted medical HS years and plan to play next season. A OL with true pro prospects until hurt in the first game and a DE hurt in the second game (all conference).

[WrenFGun]

Cool! Thanks guys. I wonder how that would play with RS FR WR Chris Chandler. He went down on the first play of the season, if I re-call correctly...

[MplsBison]

But there is talk about doing away with medical hardships and just giving athletes 5 years to play 5 seasons no matter what.

[GannonFan]

Cool! Thanks guys. I wonder how that would play with RS FR WR Chris Chandler. He went down on the first play of the season, if I re-call correctly...

It is hard to get a medical hardship year if you've already taken a redshirt year for a non-medical reason. David Boler from UD tore his ACL a few weeks before his senior year at UD and never played again - because he had taken a redshirt year his first year in college (for the typical reason for freshmen) he was denied the medical hardship. Normally the NCAA is pretty strict about this and if you've already used a redshirt year for a non-injury (or I would imagine family emergency or the like) they don't grant a medical hardship.

[Hoyadestroya85]

For SIU a few years ago Tom Koutsos (RB) got injured in the third game (clarification?) and he was given a medical hardship but i believe he hadn't redshirted...
Whereas Marvin Burroughs for Villanova got injured in the first game against Rutgers in 2005 he didn't get one since he had already redshirted...

[WrenFGun]

That seems to be the rule, from what I can tell. I suspect Lance Mailloux may get a RS, then, though neither Chandler or Ware will.

[texcap]

You are correct. And they must be from the first 30 percent of your schedule. McNeese lost RB Jamie Leonard in the fourth game (past 30 percent) which made it impossible for him to apply for a medical hardship (which is the technical term). On the other hand, Steven Whitehead was hurt in the second game and had never used a redshirt year, so his medical hardship case is a slam dunk.

I am pretty sure that that you can play in no more than 30% of your teams games and the games you play in must come from the first 50% of the teams games, not the first 30%.

[McNeese_beat]

I am pretty sure that that you can play in no more than 30% of your teams games and the games you play in must come from the first 50% of the teams games, not the first 30%.

You may be right. It still eliminates Leonard because he had played in four of the 11 games when he was hurt...so it would be rare to find people who are still playing at mid-season who hadn't already played in over 30 percent of the schedule...I can't think of a case where that has happened to a McNeese athlete though I'm sure I could if you researched hard enough.

[Rabbit3467]

Just to clarify a little bit.

If an athlete doesnt use a RS when he is a freshman and misses a season down the road due to injury, ilness, etc, he can still use his RS. Its is not a considered a medical hardship because he hadnt redshirted.

As for an athlete being granted a medical hardship, the NCAA seems to be very strict on handing these out. Many times the injury has to affect more than one year to gain a medical. At least this was seemed to be the case at SDSU.

One other point that doesnt affect most teams, is that if an athlete got a medical redshirt in D-II, when they transition to FCS they lose that year because its not recognized in D-I. SDSU had a few athletes in which this happened to including our quarterback from the 2006 season.

[texcap]

Just to clarify a little bit.

If an athlete doesnt use a RS when he is a freshman and misses a season down the road due to injury, ilness, etc, he can still use his RS. Its is not a considered a medical hardship because he hadnt redshirted.

As for an athlete being granted a medical hardship, the NCAA seems to be very strict on handing these out. Many times the injury has to affect more than one year to gain a medical. At least this was seemed to be the case at SDSU.

One other point that doesnt affect most teams, is that if an athlete got a medical redshirt in D-II, when they transition to FCS they lose that year because its not recognized in D-I. SDSU had a few athletes in which this happened to including our quarterback from the 2006 season.

Medical hardships are actually granted by the conference, not the NCAA. If one is denied a school can appeal that denial tothe NCAA.

[MplsBison]

You may be right. It still eliminates Leonard because he had played in four of the 11 games when he was hurt...so it would be rare to find people who are still playing at mid-season who hadn't already played in over 30 percent of the schedule...I can't think of a case where that has happened to a McNeese athlete though I'm sure I could if you researched hard enough.


Probably something like a guy plays in the first 2 games out of 10, gets a minor injury, comes back for the 5th game and then gets hurt bad.

In that case he would've played in 3 of 10 games (30%) and the last game he played in was the 5th of 10 (50%).


IE, if he had come back for the 6th game and got hurt bad instead, no dice.






I think the whole medical hardship system should be thrown away. It's too hard to judge what's fair while balancing out people trying to take advantage of it.


Just give them 5 years to play 5 seasons and that's it.

[unhfan1]

Chandler went down in the Marshall game.

[I-AA Fan]

To be granted a medical hardship waiver, a player must not have participated in more than 2 games, or a max of 20% of the regular season. The injury must happened during the first half of the season. Also, the injury must be season-ending. No rehab and back for the post-season. If the season is 11 games, this is 2.2, which is always rounded "up" to 3. So you can technically play in three contests. Key point: the player must have been eligible to play, otherwise they need to use a voluntary waiver, which is also known as a "gray shirt". If the player is later found to be academically ineligible, they will lose the medical waiver and a year of eligibility. For this reason, injuries that occur prior to the start of the season a heavily scrutinized. You are allowed 5 years to complete 4.

Also, another misunderstood point ... a player that has participated in even a single snap (other than spring camp) is not eligible for a standard redshirt for that year. A standard redshirt can be granted at any time in the 4 year period of eligibility.

[lc83]

But there is talk about doing away with medical hardships and just giving athletes 5 years to play 5 seasons no matter what.

Then what do you call the 5th year player in his 5th season of competition?